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POLITICO 44

Senate Democrats on Wednesday sought to inject fresh momentum into efforts to overhaul the filibuster, with top Democrats laying the groundwork to reform the procedural weapon next year.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who has long been opposed to changing the filibuster, said Wednesday that the Senate was "likely" going to have to make changes to the tool next year — complaining that it has been abused by Republicans.

"The filibuster has been abused. I believe that the Senate should be different than the House and will continue to be different than the House," Reid told liberal bloggers, according to The Huffington Post.

"But we're going to take a look at the filibuster. Next Congress, we're going to take a look at it. We are likely to have to make some changes in it, because the Republicans have abused that just like the spitball was abused in baseball and the four-corner offense was abused in basketball."

Republicans sharply accused Reid of flip-flopping on the issue – after he had fiercely criticized Republican leaders for considering changing filibuster rules when Democrats were in the minority.

Reid’s comments came as he was preparing to meet Wednesday afternoon with junior Democrats who are clamoring for a more confrontational approach to the GOP minority — including a more sustained effort to overhaul the filibuster. And they came after Sen. Chuck Schumer, No. 3 in Senate leadership, announced that his Rules and Administration Committee would hold a series of hearings looking at overhauling the practice.

“I think there’s some real momentum,” said New Mexico Sen. Tom Udall (D), who plans to offer a resolution at the beginning of the new Congress to allow Senate rules to change with a simple majority – rather than the 67 senators required to change the rules under the current system.

Acknowledging there’s no real chance of changing the filibuster rules this year, Democrats are looking for a new political strategy ahead of the midterm elections.

Following the hour-long late afternoon meeting in Reid’s office, junior Democrats emerged confident that the majority leader would employ more confrontational tactics as a way to cast the blame on Republicans for their failure to enact legislation – in effect mirroring Democrats’ aggressive effort against Sen. Jim Bunning’s (R-Ky.) recent blockade against an extension of jobless benefits.

One Democratic senator, who attended the meeting but asked to remain anonymous to discuss the private deliberations, said that Reid made clear he was sensitive to the concerns of his more junior Democratic colleagues frustrated at the procedural roadblocks in the Senate. And according to the senator, Reid said he would begin to employ a mix of theatrics to single out GOP senators blocking their initiatives – with the possibility of scheduling live quorum calls requiring senators to come to the floor and holding all-night sessions that would generate headlines from coast-to-coast.

This is an interesting proposition from a Senator who will be unemployed next year. Besides, the Senate majority leader will be Jim DeMint next year, so they really should have interviewed him for this article.

Yes, by all means, reform the filibuster next year once the demwits are back in the minority. Let them whine when their maniacal legislative agenda is shoved back into its black hole of oblivion.

Too bad Harry won't be returning after this fall's election. He'll miss out on all the "benefits" of being in the minority with no voice, no power, no nothing. His cohorts can thank him for wisely urging that the demwits be relegated to the status of mere potted plants scattered around the Capitol.

The reason for the Dems "problem in governing" is they have been spending all their time trying to ram a bunch of Socialist **** legislation down the American Peoples' throats. What a joke these Demorat losers are. Who wants to bet they will start blabbing about jobs, jobs, jobs this Summer, but it will be way too little, way too late.

The reasons Republicans have been forced to filibuster is because Reid has been "filling the tree." Senate rules only allow a certain number of amendments to a bill (i.e., an amendment to an amendment to an amendment etc.). If the leader fills out the "tree" of amendments then no amendments can be offered by anyone. Until Reid this was never done. Now it is done on every single bill. This leaves Republicans with no voice except to filibuster. Of course, we never hear about it because the MSM is in the tank for Dems, but I can assure you that when Republicans regain control of the Senate, it will become front page news if they ever try it! How is everyone enjoying the most partisan Congress ever?

How are 'ya Harry. What with a super-majority and all, you skunks in the Democratic Party couldn't get it together for your healthcare fiasco, so now you want to rewrite the rules . What a bunch of sore losers, amongst yourselves even. You are not trying to persuade the American people even, but yourselves. The average Joe and Josephine have rejected your plan, yet you get it , but keep telling yourselves that the only hope in November is to cram this rotgut down the general public's throat. Go ahead Harry and try to rewite the rules on the fillibuster, which have been in place all these years for all the right reasons, as you and your comrades in arms are proving ad nauseum. Every day, every week, every minute, every second, that's all we're hearing. When you hear that 36,000 of your fellow citizens have lost their livelihood, you claim that this is "GREAT". One question. What in God's name are you inhaling, smoking, shooting up or putting up your rectum for you to come to these God awful conclusions? This country's economy is in a free fall meltdown, yet you spoiled know it all's insist on giving us this monstrosity. Do you get my point yet? You had better unleash this country's entrepeneurs or we are doomed. Start nuclear plants which will in turn lead to manufacturing jobs, which will lead to support services. Start drilling offshore with little or no harm to our environment thanks to the advances in new technologies. Start converting shale and coal to fulfill not only ours but potential customers overseas energy needs and stop trying to sell us GREEN BS. If the GREEN technology was cost effective and fruitful, it would have been attempted already. Stop the BS.

What a joker you are Harry because you will not be in Senate next year and my hope every senator like Blanche Lincoln will not be there also.We do not need you socialist tax and spend democrapers any more.

hey reps. changing the filibuster rules is just about the best carrot to hold out in front of dem activists to get them excited about pushing to win in 2010. go ahead and laugh. all you have on your side is dem lack of enthusiasm. that's it. once you energize the dems... like 06 and 08... well, you know what happens. NOTHING makes dems more angry right now than the need for a super majority to pass legislation in the senate. NOTHING will motivate dems more right now than the chance to change the rules of the senate. keep on laughing. keep believing you will have your permanant majority. remember last time you boasted about that?

Pinky has a super majority and still can not pass his bills. Why? Because they are terrible bills. If they had any redeeming qualities Pinky could get them passed. It is not the reps fault - it is Pinky's fault. Pinky thinks he will be around next year, he is living in LA LA land. Just today a nonpartisan committee in Congress reported this health care "fix" will cause 74% of people's taxes to go up (so much for Obama's promise) and only 13% will be helped. The middle class will pay for the lower middle classes insurance. Obama's goal - no more middle class, just the very rich and the poor. Obama and his administration is destroying the middle class.